Away Like a Song
by Hasty
Summary: Yasutora Sado's got one goal in life: get through middle school in Japan and head back home to Mexico. Easy, right? Not in Karakura, where master plans go to die.
1. Chapter 1

**Nope, I'm still not Tito Kube, so I only own the OCs. Set two years pre-series. Theme: Ma, they broke me, by the Rockford Mules.**

These hills would be the death of him, Sado thought. Still, he had fresh caught red snapper, a new C.D, and a tidy amount of money left over. And he hadn't even had to delve into the money Rodrigo'd given him.

He still felt uneasy about accepting Rodrigo's hospitality. A six-year-old, no matter how big, shouldn't have been able to beat up a boy twice his age. But he had, and he probably would've killed Rodrigo if Abuelo hadn't pulled him off the older boy. Rodrigo was only putting up with him because of Abuelo's reputation and his younger brother's plea.

He got through the final stretch, and chained up and unloaded the bike. He hummed the new song that he was composing, a counterpoint to the song playing in his headphones.

_City of fog, steal my breath, city of fog don't be my death_

_Your steel towers won't have my bones, I'll die alone among the stones.._

_00_

"Smells good, cuz," Rodrigo Marquez called. "Tada."

Despite their kinship, they didn't look much alike. Rodrigo was a shade darker then Sado, and his features were sharper, with a long aquiline nose. He kept his hair in a ponytail, mainly because he hadn't had the time for a haircut.

"It's _taidama,"_ Sado corrected, removing the paper wrapped snapper from the oven. "Either speak Japanese properly or give it up."

"You should become a linguist. Did Miguel call?"

"You just missed him."

"Oh? Oh well. I'll call him back after we get back from the airport. Celia finally agreed to drive us."

Sado focused on setting the table. This time tomorrow, he'd be over the Pacific Ocean. He didn't want to go, but Abuelo was a stubborn man. Even before his death, he'd decided that Sado would go to Japan for high school, and hopefully go on to a Japanese university. Sado personally thought that if a university in the U.S. was good enough for his parents, it was good enough for him. He'd have preferred to go to Cuba if he'd had the choice.

He liked Mexico. He had friends and family there, he had pets, and he had roots. He didn't know how to be Japanese anymore, even though he still spoke the language. Up until now, he hadn't known where his father's family had lived- or even that they knew that Sado was alive.

"Hey, primo, what's got you down?"

"Just thinking."

"Do you know anything about the people who are going to pick you up in Tokyo?"

"Mr. Mugarama was one of Dad's friends. He's a good guy, even if Mama thought he was too handsome for his own good. I don't know Ms. Yadomaru, but her paycheck depends on getting me to Karakura, so I think Miguel and Felipe are letting their imaginations run away with them again."

"Yasu, Miguel may be right. Felipe likes to tell tall tales, but my brother's usually sensible. If you get in any trouble, call me. How much money do you have with you?"

"I don't know how much it is in yen, but I have about $100 in U.S. money. Cousin Delores made sure I had a fair amount of cash when I left, and I got the rest from busking."

"Oh man, you've been _begging?"_

"No. It's not begging; I work for anything I get. I'm too young for an actual job, so I've got to make do with my guitar."

San Francisco was surprisingly lucrative. The only downside was that he kept getting hit on. When he got to Japan, he might be able to get a job- as long as they didn't check his passport.

Rodrigo winced.

"Okay," he said, changing the subject. "I know you're going to hate me for this, but did Great-Uncle leave you anything?"

"Yeah. Half of his savings-what was left after paying Mama's college expenses- went to me. The other half went to the school, to pay for improvements. Dad was a fairly rich man, but I can't touch most of his estate. It's being held in trust. I'll get a bit of an allowance, but I'll have to be careful with it. Oh, yeah, I own Abuelo's Nova, too."

"Well, you won't starve. That's good."

"You want the Nova? I can have the mayor transfer the title to you. Nobody at home wants it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I can't get my license till I'm twenty, anyway."

"How does it drive?"

"If it could handle the mountains, it can handle San Francisco."

"All right, I'll keep it 'till you can learn to drive. And remember, if you need me, call me anytime."

00

Sado craned his neck, watching the Golden Gate Bridge in the rearview mirror. Good-bye San Francisco. He was still in a state of shock. Abuelo had been dead less than two weeks. Sado was a few hundred miles and a country away from his friends and most of his family.

"What do you know about the people who are picking you up?" Celia Cortazar, Rodrigo's girlfriend said. Sado had been amused by her- she had Rodrigo wrapped around her finger and she knew it. She was short and tended toward plumpness. Her one vanity was her waist length black hair.

"They're not related to me. Mugarama's a family friend, Yadomaru's an employee."

"Your family can't even be bothered to pick you up?" Celia said, disapprovingly, stomping on the accelerator. "Rodrigo, just enroll Yasutora in one of the schools here."

" I can't. I don't make enough to support him, and Great Uncle Oscar'd haunt me for the rest of my life," Rodrigo protested. Celia was a cab driver, Rodrigo was a sous chef, and both of them were barely getting by.

Celia made a disapproving noise. She came from a different part of Mexico then the two boys did, so she didn't know of Oscar Joaquin de la Rosa's reputation. What Abuelo did wasn't quite magic, but it sure looked a lot like it. Abuelo'd been an observant and clever man: he always knew where the bodies were buried and what skeletons were in everyone's closets. He probably would have been that way even if he didn't encourage the ghosts to stop by for a friendly chat.

"It's not like I'm helpless," Sado said. "I speak Japanese, and I'll figure out a way to get by."

"You're _thirteen,_" Celia said. "You shouldn't have to worry about such things."

00

"Got everything?" Rodrigo asked. "Tickets, boarding pass, passport?"

"Yep," Sado said, adjusting the guitar and his backpack. The rest of his bags had been checked but he didn't want the guitar out of his sight. The carry-on bag had all of his , a notebook, some toiletries, spare batteries for the C.D. player and his favorite books. The two suitcases of clothes had been checked and were on the plane already.

"Call me when you get there."

Sado nodded.

"Yasutora, you've really grown up. I'm sure you'll be a fine man someday. _Chau, primo._"

"_Chau_," Sado replied.

00

The flight over the ocean was calm, thankfully. One of the stewardesses seemed to take a liking to him- he found her phone number wrapped around his can of lemon tea. That poor woman was going to be so embarrassed when she found out how old he was.

His fingers itched-he really wanted to play the guitar, but it wasn't worth disturbing the other passengers. Instead, he put in another C.D. and then took out his notebook.

Sparrow (only her parents called her Frida) had given it to him for his birthday: every year, one of his friends gave him a fresh notebook for his songs. He'd written several over the years, and his time in San Francisco had been productive. He wrote down a few calculations. Today was the second week of May, and the Japanese school year went until March. He'd checked up on the laws governing minors in Japan, and the law only made education mandatory until ninth grade.

So, he'd endure eighth grade and ninth grade in Japan, and see if Rodrigo could enroll him in a school in California. If not- well, he had his guitar, he spoke three languages, and he had his strength. He could survive nearly anywhere on his own. If he was really lucky, he might get back home in time for Sparrow's fifteenth birthday.

00

"So what do you think of Hiyori's new look?" Kensei asked Lisa, as they waited in the airport.

"She looks like a Gothic Lolita who jumped a biker gang," Lisa said, shaking her head. "I hope she doesn't give Shinji a heart attack."

"It's his fault for sneaking off to that chess tournament in Thailand."

"That's kind of unfair. At least Shinji's stayed in touch. Hachi hasn't been in Japan for more than a week at time once he got his passport. He keeps popping up in the oddest places."

"Where is he now?"

"Taking a ferry and train from Ceylon- or whatever it's called now. Apparently, tigers kept stealing his latest mobile junkheaps. I find it hard to believe that even a tiger'd want one of those wrecks."

"Oh, the Tamil Tigers. He has a bit of bad luck with terrorist groups. When he was in Ireland, the IRA jacked his cars twice."

"When did you last see him?" Lisa asked.

"He was in Okinawa for a bit, six years ago, but then he took off again. I hadn't seen him since 1947."

"Do you have any idea why Urahara and Tsukabishi want to get in touch with him so badly?"

"Well, I guess Tsukabishi just wants to hear from him. They were pretty good friends, after all. As for Urahara, I gave up any hope of ever understanding him a long time ago. By the way, how's Love's project going?"

"Badly. He lost the brother already, and little sister has shown no signs of spiritual power."

"I guess he got the short end of the stick, but he'll probably keep looking after her no matter what.

Speaking of projects, here comes our boy now. Oi! Sado-kun, over here!"

00

Sado turned toward the voice, lugging his bags. Was it just him, or had Mugarama not changed at all? If anything, Mugarama looked younger with those piercings and thick black hair.

He didn't recognize the woman with him, but figured that she must be Lisa Yadomaru. She looked like a stereotype of a librarian: long braids, a long prim dress- but the look that she gave him made him wonder if she was more than an employee.

The stewardess from before passed him and mouthed 'call me.' He dropped his gaze down to his shoes, blushing.

00

"Is that all you have?" Lisa asked, picking up one of the bags.

"Yeah. I figured anything else I needed I could pick up on the way."

"That's the way, kid," Kensei said approvingly. "Heck, I once went halfway around the world with nothing but some tooth powder and laundry soap. C'mon, we have a train to catch. Yadomaru, quit spacing out."

"I am not," she retorted, and realized she was behind both of them. She didn't mind much: the view was pretty nice. Escorting nearly 50 kilograms of sulking teenager had not been on her to-do list for this century. She'd take her side benefits where she could find them.

_I can't believe I'm being paid to do this,_ she thought, happily.

00

"Hello, may I please speak with Genji Sado?" Sado asked. He sprawled across the hotel bed. He still wondered why his father had never mentioned his family before.

"Hello, this is Yasutora. I arrived in Tokyo about three hours ago. It'll be a day or so before we get to Karakura. Yes, it's nice to meet you too, sir."

He hoped this conversation would be brief. He had two jumpy cousins that were waiting for reassurance.

"Thirteen... yes, I'll be going into eighth grade. Yadomaru's been very attentive and I already knew Mugarama. Yes, he was one of Dad's friends in Okinawa. I'll call as soon as we get to Karakura. Oh, really? Where? Thank you."

He quickly wrote down the directions, and checked his watch and the clock. Too early to place a call- his cousins wouldn't be happy to be dragged from their warm beds. He was feeling kind of tired anyway.

Duties done, he changed into pajamas and burrowed into his bed. They had another long day tomorrow, and he needed to get used to Japanese time. He'd call his cousins and friends tomorrow, to make sure they didn't start panicking. If Miguel thought he was dead, Sparrow'd probably have the whole gang halfway across the Pacific by noon. He missed them already.

00

Kensei gently manipulated the kido spell and watched Sado carefully. He frowned. The seals Hachi'd put on the kid were beginning to fray. At one point, he saw Sado's hand acquire a chitinous coating, which was quickly reabsorbed into the skin. He was glad he'd remembered to dose the kid after dinner; he hated to do it, but an unconscious subject was easier to work with.

He slapped an extra layer of bindings on. Hachi's careful pastiche was holding, for now. Maybe he could talk Tessai into helping, but Tessai would blab to Urahara. Urahara didn't need to know anything about this.

There really wasn't much anyone could do. The internal hollow was odd: it was almost like a parasite at this stage, and it might not have any will of its own left. Kensei wondered if that meant that Sado could use _ceros _after a bit of training. He batted the thought down: too risky.

Sado might be able to resist the internal hollow with willpower alone, or he might succumb after his death. There were a few cases of humans turning into hollows while they were still alive, which was one of the worst-case scenarios Lisa had suggested.

If Aizen got hold of the kid, they were screwed. If he died, Sado would likely become the equivalent of an Adjuchas, if not a full blown Vasto Lorde, and Aizen wouldn't hesitate to make him into a weapon. Even as a human, he could potentially use the hollow's power, and that would keep Seireitei puzzled enough that they'd pull their strikes until it was too late.

In order to fight Aizen, the Vizards had to keep an eye on anyone or anything he could use, and keep them out of his reach. Central 46 had screwed them over, but they fought for the ones they'd left behind.

_What are we gonna do with ya, kiddo?_ Kensei thought._ I hate to turn ya over to the family that abandoned you and Akihito, but I don't have much choice here. Aizen'd wipe out that cute little hometown of yours in a heartbeat. And we can't turn ya loose while he's around._

They had such a lot in common, Kensei mused. All three of them couldn't go back, they could only go forward. He locked the door and flicked off the light. Before turning in, he gave Sado's hair an affectionate ruffle. Even if Aizen didn't make a move, Sado had a hard road ahead of him.

_Stay strong, Yasutora-kun. Akihito, please forgive us for involving your son._

**_A/N :Translation notes: Primo: cousin, chau: a Spanish version of ciao. _**

**_Since Kube doesn't give us much detail on Sado, I'm making quite a lot of stuff up. While this story will contain a fair amount of original characters, they will have a good reason for being there. I should note that Rodrigo and Miguel are Sado's third cousins. He doesn't have any first cousins on his mother's side. _**

**_Next chapter: On to Karakura! _**

**_Reviews?_**


	2. In the strange city, a lamp is lit

**Only Shouko, Yoshimoto and Mima are mine. Theme: Mediational Field, Paprika main theme. **

"Mugarama-san, your car is here," the woman at the front desk said. "And Kuma-san said to tell you 'long time no see.'"

Kensei yawned into the receiver. "'Kay, I'll be right down."

He hoped that Mashiro had gone through a rental agency this time. Or that she'd 'borrowed' the car from someone who wouldn't call the cops. Explaining this situation would be a headache and a half.

"KENSEII," Mashiro trilled, standing beside a small sporty lime-green coupe. "What do you think of this car?Cute, neh?"

"Where'd you get it?" Kensei asked.

"Well, it was kinda stolen- but I took it from the guys who stole it, which means I did a good deed. By the way, Sado's place is all set up for him. I helped out. I guess his family couldn't sell it 'cause I sent the exorcist running."

She flipped her green hair innocently. Her child-like looks helped a lot in her jobs as a courier, usually ferrying dubious things from point A to Point B, or even the bottom of the C.

"Mashiro, that's –oh never mind. Thanks for the car. But what about that rental agency I told you about?"

"I couldn't use the phone cause Love was using it, and Hiyori took the laptop. I gotta get my motor bike out of the trunk. I got the tech boys at the university to soup it up for me."

As she zoomed away, Kensei shook his head. He'd never understand that woman. But on the bright side, Love was back from Singapore, and Rose and Hachi'd be home soon.

00

Sado opened his eyes and tried to make sense of his surroundings. He'd actually managed to stay in bed this time; he usually woke up on the floor. He wasn't home, that was for sure.. oh, yeah. Weird, he should have been more jet lagged, but he'd slept like a baby. He bounded up and snatched Kensei's phone. He had the foresight to hold the phone a foot away from his ear.

"Miguel, settle down," he chided. "You'll wake everyone up! Yes, I got here safely. No, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the cities that got bombed- Tokyo's safe. Yes, I still have both my kidneys. Has Felipe been telling stories again? Or did Sparrow get all worked up? No.. where in the world did you get _that _idea? Yes, Rodrigo's doing well. I wouldn't be surprised if you became an uncle soon."

Kensei walked in just in time to catch the tormented wail from the phone.

"Okay, just tell the others that I'm fine, I'm safe, and if you guys wrecked the record player or the ham radio, you might want to start heading for the mountains. You got the address down, right? Okay, bye."

Sado closed the phone and grinned at Kensei.

"Calling your pals at home?"

"Yeah. Sorry about using your phone."

"If I didn't want you to use it, I wouldn't've left it there. What did you tell your cousin?"

"Oh, I was just teasing him. I still have to call Rodrigo."

"Fine. I'll be downstairs, guarding your breakfast."

00

Sado dressed, phoned Rodrigo and headed downstairs. Yadomaru winced at his shirt, but he ignored her in favor of coffee and food. She seemed so familiar, even though they'd only just met. Had they met, a long time ago? Anyway, the blue shirt with the hibiscus flowers was one of the quietest shirts he owned.

"You know that stuff'll stunt your growth," Kensei teased.

Sado raised an eyebrow. "Hasn't worked yet."

Lisa snickered. "He's got you there, Kensei."

"Hey, when did we get on a first name basis?" Kensei chided.

"Details, details. Speaking of details, did you get the car?"

"Mashiro did. It's out front."

00

"You're transferring to Mashiba Junior High," Lisa said, treating this like an officer briefing. "I arranged a meeting with the principal last night. The meeting's on Thursday, which gives you a day to settle in. You'll have to take an exam, but it's mostly a formality."

They were in a roadside café eating lunch. Sado still seemed awkward with chopsticks, so they'd opted for western food.

"A placement test," Sado said.

"Exactly. Can you manage on your own? I can move into the building. There's plenty of room."

"I'll be fine."

"All right. I'll still have to check up on you periodically. If you need something, you can contact me."

_I'm not a kid,_ Sado thought, before realizing how stupid that line of argument was. For all intents and purposes, he _was _a child. He kept forgetting it, since most people treated him like an adult.

"Hey, Yadomaru?"

"What is it?"

"Have you ever been to Okinawa?"

"No," she lied. Quickly changing the subject she added, "You ought to plan a visit to a doctor too. You still have your NHS certificate, right?"

"Yeah, it's with all the other paperwork. Hey, Mugarama, did your tattoo hurt?"

"I was drunk when I got it. Spent two days with ice on my stomach, and yeah, that hurt. Are you planning to get one?"

"Yeah. I want to get either a teardrop like the _cholos_ in America have, or something on my shoulder."

"I'd go for the shoulder tat. Only gangsters and punks mark up their faces. Plus, I've heard those things hurt like you wouldn't believe."

"Good point."

The bill came, and they left the restaurant. Sado watched it recede in the rearview window. Unfamiliar greenery, an unfamiliar road; if he didn't have to stay here, he would have enjoyed the journey more. He didn't have a home anymore, just dreams and memories.

00

Calling it an apartment building was misleading, Sado decided. His new home was actually a warehouse with apartments on the top floor. Abuelo's house could've fit inside it, with room to spare.

"Are you Yasutora?" a suited man asked. Sado sized him up- short clipped hair and a stance that suggested he'd worked in the JSDF at some point. Infantry or ground control, Sado guessed, since he didn't have the air of a flyboy. His parents had had a lot of friends from the Okinawa base, and Sado'd learned to spot a military man from a kilometer away.

"I work for Genji Sado-sama. I'm his secretary, Seichiro Yoshimoto."

"Nice to meet you," Sado said, returning the handshake. "I thought Grandfather would be coming himself."

How many secretaries kept themselves that fit? he wondered.

"Well, he's a busy man, you know. Even though he's retired, he has a lot of stocks to manage, family squabbles to settle.. I must admit, you surprised me. I thought you were younger."

"I'm thirteen.I just look a bit older."

"Oh, my. Well, here are your keys. And please sign here, thank you."

"Does anyone else live here?" Lisa asked.

"No, I'm afraid we've had a bit of trouble finding tenants. Having to engage an exorcist tends to worry prospective renters. Thank god we persuaded that man not to show the exorcism on T.V. Spirits don't worry you, do they, Sado-kun?"

Sado shrugged. "Depends on the spirit, I guess."

There were some bad spots in town, but whatever had been haunting the building was long gone.

"Quite. Oh, Yadomaru-san, would you be willing to take an extension on your contract? Say, for a week or so?"

"No problem."

"Thank you. And you, sir- were you the one who arranged for the furnishings?"

"Er, uh, yeah. Sado-kun's father was a friend of mine. I'm Mugarama."

Great, spontaneously generating furniture was a headache he didn't need. Shinji, Hiyori and Mashiro had never quite gotten over their days in the Rukon. As far as they were concerned, if it wasn't nailed down, the victim didn't deserve to keep it. Mashiro occasionally got even more ambitious; she'd tried to steal this very building by haunting the tenants.

He'd just have to go through all the drawers and take out any hints that the furniture hadn't been purchased.

"Sado-kun, Sado-sama asked me to invite you to dinner Saturday night at his home. That should provide ample time for you to get settled in. I've taken the liberty of providing a map for you."

"Tell him I'll see him there," Sado replied.

Yoshimoto bowed.

"One last favor," he said, producing a camera. "Could I take some pictures? Sado-sama would like to see what you look like now."

He snapped a few, getting three individual pictures and one group shot.

"Thank you very much," Yoshimoto said, politely. "I hope you'll learn to like it here."

_Two years,_ Sado reminded himself and smiled. "I'm sure I will."

All the adults were lying to him, so he might as well lie too.

00

Shouko Matsuda bit one of her polished nails. She took a look at herself in the shop's mirror, and swiftly refastened her hair pins, confining her long black hair. She finally looked like herself again. Despite being 32 and having a daughter, she still looked young. She was skinny, owing to a good metabolism and a fidgety nature. She pinched her cheeks.

_Buck up! Seichiro's always come through!_

Well, Seichiro wasn't the problem, really. Yadomaru was one of the problems. Shouko had quickly realized that busting Yadomaru would've made the Vice Squad of Karakura happy as clams, but it wasn't the answer. The private investigators she'd hired had reams of files about Yadomaru's night job, though she did have a day job as a matchmaker and event planner. Shouko hadn't had that much energy when she was 28, assuming that was Yadomaru's actual age.

Genji had engaged Yadomaru to retrieve his grandson, saying that Yadomaru had crossed his path for a reason. Yeah, she'd come to him to get her sticky little fingers on his bank account. Or, worse, seduce Yasutora to get a cut of his inheritance. She'd be sorely disappointed on both had been written out of the will at birth, and Genji's accounts were thoroughly secured.

Mugarama was another unknown. He claimed to be a friend of Akihito's, but closer investigation revealed a number of inconsistencies. For example, she found no less than three people registered as 'Kensei Mugarama' all living in port cities. Two of them lacked death certificates, but were presumed missing at sea, as they'd often hired on with tramp freighters. The current one claimed to have lived in Tokyo before coming to Okinawa, but the birth certificate had been conveniently lost. He'd kept his nose squeaky clean- which only _added _to her suspicions.

_Brother always did leave messes for me to clean up,_ she thought, irritated. If only Mima hadn't been such a sickly toddler, she could've adopted Yasutora. But that would've put more strain on her shaky marriage- and she was right back where she started. At least she still had her little girl, her skills, and enough cash to make her dream of a kimono shop a reality. Since Yasu had come back home, she could patch things up with him. She wondered what her nephew was like now.

She heard one of the shop girls greet a customer, and launched herself out of the back room.

"Good afternoon," she said cheerfully. "I'm the manager of this establishment, how can I help you today?"

Yoshimoto smiled. "I believe the question is 'how may I help _you, _mistress_?"_

"Seichiro! Let me show you to my office. Did they arrive safely?"

They stayed silent until he was seated in the small cramped area she called an office.

"Yes, they've had no problems on the way. You'll owe me for this, Shouko."

"I know. Thank you."

He smiled. "Would you like to see the photographs?"

She held out her hand for them. The first photo had to be of Yasutora. He didn't look like either of his parents now. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been a long-limbed accident-prone toddler, with his father's curly mop, and his mother's caramel skin and honey-brown eyes. He was still long-limbed and tall, but he'd filled out. He was more muscular then Akihito had ever been, and he had his mother's high cheekbones and aquiline nose.

"What's he like?"

"Hmm. It's hard to say. He's not like Akihito; he's very calm and quiet. He must take after his mother in personality. He seems to be adaptable and intelligent; no surprise, considering his parents."

She examined Kensei's photo. What was a man Kensei's age thinking when he'd punched all those holes in himself? Eyebrow piercing, ear piercing, cartilage piercing, and combining that with a sleeveless shirt and those muscles… why didn't he just tattoo "I want to be a pirate' on his forehead?

She felt a bit of envy when she looked at Lisa's photo. Even in a long and tight dress, braids and glasses, Yadomaru just radiated sex. The only thing she was missing was a pair of stilettos.

"What are Yasutora's hobbies?"

"Music. He's been playing guitar since he was small, and he's quite talented. He also owns and operates a ham radio."

"_Mooom!_ Where are you?" Mima called.

"I should leave," Seichiro said. "Are you planning to tell Mima-chan about her cousin?"

"I won't forget this. Yes, I think I'll have to. She'll find out sooner or later anyway."

00

Mima burst into the office, chattering a mile a minute. She was small with perpetually messy black hair and a sharp featured face. At ten, she had twice the energy of her classmates, and always seemed to be in motion. Her full name was Mimori, but everyone called her Mima.

"Was that Yoshimoto? Why was he here? Does it have to do with that lease on the Kanonji apartments?"

"Don't call them that," Shouko scolded, making a mental note to lock her desk up. Someone'd been getting her sticky little paws on the business papers again.

"Why not? It's where he got his ass kicked by that poltergeist, isn't it?"

"I…Mimori Matsuda, what did I tell you about swearing?"

"Not to?" Mima said innocently.

"Right."

Mima pounced on the photographs.

"Who are these people? New workers? I bet they go to the university."

"Actually, that's a photo of Yasutora, your cousin. The other photographs are of his guardians."

She was very amused by Mima's speculation. Of the three, only Lisa was anywhere near twenty.

"Ah man, _another _cousin? I already have two."

00

Sado watched the lights go on in Karakura from his perch on the roof. He envied the children who were eating dinner with their families right now. They'd never have to leave everything behind and make their own way in a half-familiar land.

He couldn't help feeling a little excited; tomorrow he'd be able to explore this strange new city.

**Chapter two complete! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! Coming soon: the Lucretia Borgia of the junior high set makes her appearance. **


	3. Our Adventure Fanfare all around

**A/N: Before we get started, I have a few minor points to make. First of all, Bleach isn't mine. Secondly, I've received a few reviews that I'd like to address. On the issue of Sado's name, I'd like to point out that in the flashback in volume 11, Ichigo's nametag said 'Kurosaki.' The nametags on the school uniforms usually have the family name, so that's one reason I believe that 'Sado' is Sado's family name, not his given name. Also, in volume 33, Unohana refers to him as 'Sado-kun.' Unless they'd gotten a LOT closer than the Soul Society arc indicated, she wouldn't use his given name. Also, he isn't 'Chad' as he and Ichigo haven't met yet.  
Oh, btw, Ichigo does appear in this chapter.  
**

**Theme: A-ly-ya (Negima ending theme).  
**

Sado sat outside in the little park he'd found. The pile of money in his case was small, but he was mostly enjoying being outdoors and playing his guitar. A black haired girl with long bangs and a braid with a ribbon threaded through it had been watching him for a while. She wore a gray uniform jacket and a long gray skirt.

He wondered if she was a schoolmate. A small blonde girl eyed him, and then spoke to the orange-haired boy who held a black haired girl's hand. She darted over to him.

"Hi! This is from me, Karin, and Ichi-ni!" she chirped, putting a small yen note into his guitar case.

"Thanks," Sado said. He checked the sun; looked like it was time to pack things up.

"Hey, mister, do you have a home to go to?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I need a lot of money to get back there," Sado replied. "Take care."

"Yuzu, come on!" the orange haired boy called.

The girl with the braid snapped her cell phone shut. She smiled. Thank god her parents were so old fashioned; she now had a perfect recording of the man on her home answering machine.

Ayaka might want to track him down, and she knew that Ikeda and Takase were looking for a guitarist. She'd also send his picture to We Belong Dead, and see what happened. If he could play like that on an acoustic, she'd like to hear what he could do with a real axe.

_00_

"_Taking care of business every day, takin' care of business every way"_

Kensei fumbled for the CD player's controls, and eventually wrestled the cord into submission.

"What the hell was that?"

"Bachman Turner Overdrive," Sado replied, shaking off his grogginess. He was beginning to hate the futon, but it beat falling out of bed every morning.

"I am never gonna get that outta my head," Kensei grumbled. "Who's cooking breakfast?"

"I am. Good thing we got groceries yeterday- I was getting tired of takeout."

Sado cracked some eggs open and began making breakfast- tamagoyaki, coffee and the rest of the miso soup from yesterday's dinner. Everything still tasted wrong to him. He enjoyed the process; he didn't have to think about anything but the food.

"I could do that," Lisa said, watching him from the table.

"No, I'm fine. You want salty or sweet tamagoyaki?"

"Salty's fine, I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

Kensei elbowed her. "Thiirrteen," he murmured.

"Shut up," she whispered.

She cleared her throat. "Um, don't you have any other clothes, Sado-kun?"

"What's wrong with my shirt?"

"Oh.. nothing. Not many men can pull off pink. I was just wondering if you had any quieter shirts. Most of the ones you have would suggest you were raised by chameleons from the '60s."

"I have a couple of Abuelo's dress shirts."

He liked the shirt he had on. It was a checkered pink shirt that he'd gotten for his birthday from Miguel. Abuelo's shirts were nice too, but he worried that he'd bust their seams. They probably wouldn't fit for long, since he was still growing.

"If they fit, why don't you wear one of them, instead of.. that."

"Fine, I'll change after breakfast. Mugarama, what kind of omelet do you like?"

"Whatever you're having is fine by me."

00

Sayo Kinomoto was in her forties, blessed with perfect eyesight and mousy brown hair that was going grayer every day. Considering the way the current semester was going, she was beginning to think she either needed to change careers or acquire a drinking problem.

Kurosaki was probably going to get himself killed, and Inoue had already subjected her classmates and a teacher to a nasty bout of food poisoning. She'd be lucky if they didn't wind up in the morgue or the city jail.

The ninth graders were out of control-again. The kendo team had never quite settled after Kirino's reign, and the current student council president regarded her as a role model. Takase wasn't as violent as Kirino, but he had scared most of the ninth graders into line with a few soft-spoken threats and a smile.

This looked like the last straw, she thought, looking at Yadomaru and the alleged transfer student. Was this some sort of practical joke? Thirteen year olds simply didn't come in that size. She was used to teachers that were bigger than her, but Sado made her feel like a doll. He could probably pick her up and _carry_ her if he wanted to.

"Ms. Yadomaru, I think you've made a mistake. Mashiba is a _junior_ high school."

Sado produced his passport and passed it to Kinomoto. She checked the birth date and paled.

"This seems to be in order. I'm sorry for the mistake."

Sado shrugged. "Happens all the time."

"So, may I ask why you're transferring?"

"My grandfather died."

"My condolences. I assume you've been living in Mexico for the past few years."

"Yes."

"What were your grades like?"

"Decent. I'm not that good at math, but I get by. Language and music make more sense to me."

"He's fluent in Japanese, Spanish and English," Lisa added.

Sado allowed himself a small smile. He could also speak 'tourist Chinese,' and swear in eight languages.

"Impressive. We'll set up testing today. I'd suggest, since the week's half over, that you start Monday."

Sado nodded. He'd like to put it off for as long as possible, personally.

"I think that's a good idea," Lisa agreed. "He still needs a student uniform."

"Kinomoto-sama!" a woman yelled. She burst into the office, holding a copper-haired girl by the shoulders. Sado tried very hard not to notice that the girl had the largest chest he'd ever seen. He knew grown women with less cleavage.

The woman looked frazzled; her brown hair was escaping the braid she'd put it in, and she had a greenish tint to her skin and eyes.

The girl had pretty gray eyes and looked startled. He thought her blue hairpins were really cute.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kinomoto demanded.

"This junior-grade Lucretia is _still_in my class! She poisoned the entire class a week ago!" the teacher complained.

Kinomoto sighed. "Houji-san, can this wait?"

"I was sick for three days! If this keeps up, we're going to get sued!"

Kinomoto massaged the bridge of her nose. Then she smiled, thinking up a solution.

"Yadomaru-san, would you mind leaving Sado-kun here? I'll have the office staff prepare a room for him so he can take the transfer exam today."

"Not at all," Lisa said. "Sado, do you want me to pick you up?"

"I can walk."

"I'll see you later, then."

Kinomoto turned to the girl. "Inoue-chan, could you show Sado-kun around, please?"

"Leave it to me, ma'am!" Inoue said, saluting.

00

"I'm Inoue Orihime. Nice to meet you, senpai!'

"Nice to meet you," Sado said. "I'm Yasutora Sado."

"Huh? I thought the principal was using your family name."

"She was. I forgot that Japanese people use their family name _first. _I've been living abroad for most of my life."

"Lucky! That must have been fun! So, um, this is the office. I guess we should go to the ninth grade's classrooms."

"I'll be going into eighth grade."

She laughed. "Sorry, Sado-kun. I assumed you were older. I can't believe we're the same age. You and your mother look more like a couple than a parent and child."

"Yadomaru isn't related to me."

"Really? Oh, here's the gym. Class 2-b is playing basketball today. Do you play any sports?"

"I used to play baseball."

"Oh? Why'd you stop?"

"I outgrew my uniform. Which class are you in, Inoue?"

"Oh, 2-F, with Mr. Makino. Moving on, here's the music room," she said. "I always get in trouble; I like to make up my own songs."

Sado nodded. Music classes were boring anyway. He'd progressed beyond do-re-mi a long time ago.

"Our classroom- the window seats are the best! Oh, and by the boy's bathroom, you can use the stairs and get onto the roof. Kurosaki-kun says the roof's haunted. Do you believe in spirits?"

"Not really."

He kept quiet until they were back at the office. Inoue happily chattered away, pointing out interesting sights.

"You have tests today, Sado-san?"

"Yeah."

"Wait right here!" she ordered and took off. She reappeared, holding a muffin.

"Here, take this. I brought it from home, but I think you'll need it to get your energy back. Now go out there and fight! Fight!"

She jumped up and down and Sado tried to focus on anything but her. The short uniform skirt and the blouse did nothing to hide Inoue's assets.

"Ah, thanks for the muffin," he said, blushing.

00

Sado rubbed the kink out of his neck. Those tests made his finals in Mexico look like grade school quizzes. He knew he'd aced the English section, although he wasn't too certain about the math or some of the grammar questions.

He grinned, remembering the little treat in his lunch box. He'd always liked carrot cake. Houji was probably exaggerating.

He took a bite. It was carrot cake, gone horribly wrong.

00

"How'd you do?" Kensei asked, checking the progress of the yakisoba he was cooking.

"I think I did pretty well. I forgot how difficult kanji was. No wonder Mami always complained."

Kensei chuckled, remembering Piedad's complaints. She'd spoken Japanese well, but she made a lot of mistakes. She'd given up completely on kanji.

"Yeah, your mom never liked the language much. I don't think it liked _her _much either."

"What happened to Yadomaru?"

"She's eating dinner with her boss. It's just you and me tonight."

"Ok. By the way, I used up the mouthwash. I think I met one of the worst cooks in the world."

"Do tell."

"She gave me a carrot cake muffin that had leeks and red beans in it."

"Bleh. That's a terrible thing to do to carrot cake. Next time, just say you can't eat it 'cause it's against your religion."

"You're telling me to lie?"

"Think of it as self-defense. Or you could just tell her she's a lousy cook."

Sado thought he'd prefer the first option. Thinking of those gray eyes filled with tears- no, he couldn't do it. Inoue was sweet, pretty.. and probably had a boyfriend already. He scowled, stabbing at his dinner with the chopsticks. What was he thinking? He was leaving this place as soon as he could. There was no time for friends, no time for attachments.

00

"Hey," Lisa said, unplugging Sado's headphones. "How was school?"

Sado looked up from 'Gulliver's Travels.' It was one of the select group of favorites that he'd taken with him. The rest-and the radios- were on their way.

"Interesting. How's Grandfather?"

It felt really strange to say that. He'd never met Papa's parents. He'd met Shouko once, or so Papa'd said, but he didn't remember her at all. They still didn't seem real to him. The only uncles and aunts he remembered were waiting for him to come home.

"He's fine, and he and his wife are looking forward to Saturday."

"Can I have my music back?"

She gave a half-hearted sigh and relinquished the headphones. How'd she gotten this attached to the kid anyway?

00

"I feel like an absolute shit for doing this to Sado-kun," Kensei remarked, nursing a beer. He slid one across to Lisa. The beer had been a five-finger discount, hidden away in the fridge.

"I know. If I thought I could get away with it, I'd tell Genji he has measles or something."

"He's still nursing a grudge against Akihito?"

"Yes. I was really tempted to eat his soul, but I'm not sure he would've noticed."

"Probably would've made you sick, anyway."

"Probably," she agreed.

"I never noticed before, but doesn't Sado-kun look a bit like Kyoraku?" Kensei said, changing the subject.

"It's just your imagination," she replied, looking down at the table. "You'd better get to bed- you're taking him shopping for his school uniform tomorrow."

"Hey, why do _I _have to do it?"

"The store owner would recognize me."

Kensei took a pull on his beer. Had the stress warped Lisa's brain? She was acting like she was Sado's mother. Hell, he'd known the boy from infancy, and he didn't brood over him like she did. What the hell, he'd go take Lisa's advice. Doing normal human things would take his mind off the past.

_Sado-kun, I hope we never have to meet again. I hope you'll forget that there's anything beyond the world humans live in, and have a happy life._

_**A/N: And that's our show. Next time: Meet the family. **  
_


	4. Where we don't belong

**I'm baaack.. I don't own Bleach, but I own the OCs. This chapter might be offensive, but I'm trying to keep the story realistic. Apologies if I offend anyone. Theme: Gleam, Away Like A Song. **

Kensei raised an eyebrow at Sado's suit. It wasn't as bad as the pink shirt, but it was still horrible. If the fashion police existed, Lisa'd have to pay bail every week. Sado'd chosen a blue suit with orange pinstripes and a string tie. He looked good in it, but Kensei had to wonder what dimension Sado's fashion sense lived in. Not one he'd like to visit, that was for sure.

"A la Sid Vicious, huh? Oh, by the way, I picked up a late birthday present. I'm leaving early tomorrow, so I guess this is goodbye."

He knew he'd chosen right by Sado's grin as he saw the titles.

"Husker Du, Black Guayaba, Pantera, India, the Sex Pistols!"

"You don't have any of them already?" Kensei asked.

"No. Well, Dad had a few albums by the Sex Pistols, but only on vinyl. Uncle Alejandro got most of Dad's records. I was going to get the Black Guayaba release, but I haven't had any time to look for it. The one by India's a new release too, and the other two aren't available in Mexico."

"Glad you like 'em. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to tune my bike up."

"You had your bike shipped up from Okinawa and you're going to ride it all the way back?" Lisa asked, playing along.

"Nah. I'm heading down to Kyoto."

"If you have some time, drop in on Monkey King," Sado suggested. "I have his address somewhere."

"What kind of guy calls himself Monkey King?" Kensei asked.

"He used to be a Buddhist monk, now he's a businessman. 'Monkey King' is his radio handle."

"I won't have any time to visit. I've got to help out am old friend with an emergency."

00

Yoshimoto gave his passenger an appraising glance. Sado tugged at his bolo tie- another inheritance- and nodded to him. He was beginning to think that the blue suit was a bad idea. Maybe he should have gone with the black pinstriped suit instead. Both were gifts from Uncle Alejandro, the only other living musician in the family.

Abuelita had been a singer with a small following, but she'd died when Sado was six. Sado'd inherited her old Gibson, which he still had. The Harmony guitar he'd gotten for his ninth birthday was the one he mainly played now. Alejandro was a guitarist for a salsa band, though his true love was punk and the Ramones. Papa and Abuelo both appreciated music, but they couldn't play a note.

"Is Yadomaru-san coming?" Yoshimoto asked.

"No. She said she'll be going out. Mugarama's in bed; he's getting up early and heading to Kyoto. One of his friends has family there. His grand-daughter disappeared."

"How's Mugarama getting there?"

"Motorcycle. He says he'll get me a bike for my sixteenth birthday," Sado said with a smile. He'd already imagined himself zooming along the Mexican road- like Che, but with a guitar.

_So, he can smile,_ Yoshimoto thought. He quickly changed the subject.

"Miss Mimori's been looking forward to seeing you," he said. "She's Matsuda-jo's daughter, your cousin."

"I'd like to meet her too."

Sado settled into the back seat, trying not to gawk at the town. This was where his father grew up, but it felt like he'd been transported to another universe.

00

Genji poured out the tea for his grandson. If this boy _was_ his grandson. The hair was like Akihito's, a brown and shaggy mane, but other than that his 'grandson' looked nothing like his father or mother. Sado looked older than thirteen, adding to Genji's doubts. Had Yadomaru made a mistake?

Sado gulped down the hot matcha, uncomfortably aware of his grandfather's scrutiny. They hardly looked related: Genji had a slim build, short gray hair, and black eyes, instead of Sado's brown eyes. Genji could've doubled for an aging samurai or mob boss in Kurosawa's films,with his sharp features and lordly air.

"You don't look much like your parents," Genji commented.

"I'm told I take after mi Abuelo, sir," Sado replied. He tugged nervously at his tie. The sooner he got this thing off, the better.

"Oh, yes, de la Rosa. So did the results of your exam come in?"

Sado rummaged in his pocket and produced the paper. A student had delivered it earlier, but he'd been out at the time. Genji opened it and looked at the grade.

"85%, quite impressive. I heard Makino's class is a little turbulent this year. I should see if I can get you into a better class."

"I don't mind. I've already met one of my classmates. Inoue seems nice."

Genji thought that Inoue might be a little _too_ nice. He remembered those rumors about Inoue's mother. Rika Inoue'd been two years older than Akihito, and she'd run a girl gang. The gang had fallen apart when she dropped out of high school.

He had considered putting Sado in a boarding school, but that'd cost money the family didn't have. The nearest boys school wasn't an option either, as the son of one of his business partners went there. If he and Sado ended up in the same class, Genji's secret was out. He'd have to leave the company if they learned he had a mixed race grandchild.

What a disgrace. If only de la Rosa could've held on for a few more years. He didn't want anything to do with Akihito's son, but family came first. Leaving the boy to fend for himself wasn't an option.

"So, do you have any hobbies?"

"Yes. I play guitar, and I used to play baseball. I read a lot; I'm currently reading 'Gulliver's Travels,' and I have a ham radio. I'm a decent cook, but I only know a few Japanese recipes."

"Which translation of Gulliver's Travels are you reading?"

"I have an edition in English."

"I suppose it must seem like you're among the Lilliputians here. However, unlike Gulliver, you aren't tied down."

"I'm not?"

"Any goals for the year?" Genji asked, changing the subject.

"I want to learn Mandarin, and then German. "

"But those are hard," a girl's voice protested. She zipped into the room and looked Sado up and down. Sado examined her too. Was this his cousin? She had black hair instead of Father's brown mane, and lively brown eyes with flecks of green. A tall black haired woman was behind her, smiling with amusement.

"Too big," the girl decided. "I think we need to throw him back."

"Mima, don't be rude," the tall woman scolded. She was taller then Lisa, and she had Papa's slightly crooked smile and Genji's jet black eyes. She had to be Papa's sister, Shouko, which meant that the spitfire was his cousin.

"Oh, right," the girl said. She bowed. "I'm Matsuda Mimori, and this is my mother, Matsuda Shouko. And you are?"

"Sado Yasutora," Sado said, with a small bob of his own. "It's nice to meet you."

"Why would you want to learn such hard languages?" she asked.

"Languages wouldn't be hard for him, Mima," Shouko said.

"Tia Shouko's right, _prima_. I speak three and a half already, so learning two more won't be that difficult."

"Anyway, Grandma's waiting. We ordered eel for dinner."

"Is it cooked?" Sado asked, dubiously. He knew sushi was a high class Japanese treat, but he hated wasabi and the ginger pickles had always disgusted him. He'd rather have chicken molé, and he _hated _molé.

"Mm-hm- grilled in miso!"

"Sounds delicious."

00

"It's very nice to meet you, Yasutora," Haruna Sado said. She brushed the bangs away from his eyes, standing on tip-toe. "It's almost like having your father back home again."

She was the odd one out, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Most of the lines under her eyes were laugh lines, so Sado thought they'd get along well.

"Thank you, Grandmother."

He could see his father in both of them. Akihito had Haruna's smile, and Genji's eyes. Sado had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and he recognized it in Genji and Shouko. He had a double dose of that trait; no one in town could claim that the de la Rosas were pushovers.

She smiled. "Now, sit next to me, and tell me all about yourself."

"Well, I play guitar, and I want to be a DJ or a dog trainer. I was also thinking I could play in clubs or something when I get older. I'm saving up for an electric guitar."

She seemed nice. Mima listened as well, and Shouko chuckled a few times.

"How did you get that big?" Mima asked.

"Mima," Haruna scolded, "Mind your manners."

"You'll be tall too," Sado said. "Papa wasn't a small man."

"I'd like to know about Uncle Akihito, but I'd like to know even more about my aunt. I want to be a proud and beautiful yanki just like her!"

"Mami was Mexican," Sado protested. "She wasn't a gringa."

"No, no, a yanki's a lady who runs a gang."

"Mami was a veterinarian."

"Oh really? Dad always said Grandpa treated her like a criminal."

Shouko choked on her eel. Genji turned red, and Haruna gave a delicate cough. Sado looked down at his plate. He'd always known that Papa's marriage had been at the root of the quarrel with his family, but having someone come out and say it made it hurt worse.

"I'm sorry, Yasutora," Mima said. "I said something wrong."

"It's all right. I forgive you. Where is Uncle Takumi, by the way? I don't think we've ever met."

"Oh, Dad lives in Hokkaido. I go up and see him every summer."

"We divorced when Mima was little," Shouko explained. "By mutual agreement."

Haruna cleared her throat. She'd had quite enough of this. No point in raking up old wounds.

"Yasutora, we were planning to rent out the other three units in the building you live in. What do you think we should look for in our tenants?"

"Oh.. well, they should like music. I thought the first floor would make a good practice area when I get an electric guitar. And I'd prefer it if they weren't much older than me."

"We'll keep those suggestions in mind," Haruna said approvingly. She'd never thought of using the old warehouse as a practice space for musicians. Of course, once he turned eighteen, the warehouse would be his and he could do whatever he wanted with it.

Mima fired off another question or five, and Haruna relaxed a bit. At least those two were getting along. Shouko liked her nephew already, she could tell. Haruna liked him too, though he was hardly what she'd been expecting. Akihito at thirteen had been headstrong and reckless, charging ahead with no thought of the future.

His son was unexpectedly mature, even if his goals sounded like a typical teenager's. Probably his mother's influence, she decided. Piedad had always seemed serene and unruffled, though she'd had a nasty temper when roused.

Genji, on the other hand, clearly didn't like the situation at all. He kept his eyes mostly on his plate, occasionally glancing at the two cousins.

"They're getting along well," Haruna said, cheerfully.

"Mm," he muttered, casting a dark look at the boy.

00

"Yasutora, could you come with me, please?" Genji asked after dinner.

Haruna herded Mima and Shouko off for a catch-up session on the porch, and Sado padded after Genji. He realized what had seemed odd about Genji's request- that was the first time his grandfather'd used his first name. Genji headed back to the living room and sat down. He slid an envelope across the coffee table to Sado, who opened it.

"Your monthly allowance," Genji said. "I hope you will find it adequate."

"Thank you, Grandfather," Sado said. He calculated it and blinked. Back home, he could live on this amount for six months. That, plus the money he got from Papa's estate and the settlement, would probably be enough for most of his food and clothing. Of course, he'd still have to work if he wanted to get home any time soon.

"From now on, I suggest you contact Yadomaru if you need anything. She'll also be delivering the allowance. We'll pay for your education and housing, and the allowance will cover food and clothing. I'd prefer it if you limited your contact with Shouko and Mima; it might not be good for Shouko's job if she was seen with you."

"I thought she owned her own dress shop."

"She does, but it's dependent on the good will of her customers. If her customers or her friends found out about Akihito's fling, Shouko's reputation might suffer."

_Mami and Papa weren't having a casual fling, you idiot,_ Sado thought. He desperately needed to get away from here and smash something. He couldn't harm his family, even though Genji clearly could use some sense shaken into him. Sado'd been exposed to this sort of thinking before: in Okinawa, most of the neighborhood kids had been forbidden to play with him, and Mami got all sorts of dirty looks while she was running errands. But he hadn't been expecting his own family to be so thickheaded.

"I'll try to stay out of the way, but if Tia Shouko understands the risks and still wants to see me, I won't refuse. Does Grandma feel the same way?"

"She knows as well as I do that we can't risk any evidence of impropriety."

"Tell her that I'll be fine on my own. I don't plan to stay here after I graduate from ninth grade. I have a cousin in California who I can stay with while I finish high school. At least he understands what _familia _means."

With that parting shot, he walked off, slamming the door of the house behind him. He ignored Shouko's calls and headed toward the car. Yoshimoto left the porch and started the car. He didn't talk to Sado, sensing that conversation would be an unwelcome intrusion.

00

Lisa pretended to be sleeping as the door slammed. She heard ceramics breaking against the back wall of the warehouse, but decided to stay where she was. Sado must be really angry, she could feel his reiatsu from here.

She was glad she'd gone along with Haruna's plan. Being around his grandfather constantly would be bad for Sado's health. If he flared his reiatsu like that every time he lost his temper, Karakura would be flooded with shinigami- and that'd be disastrous for everyone.

_Why do I always get the hard cases? _

**_Okay.. One and done! I'll be trying to update this month, before my brain goes on vacation for August. Next Chapter: The Madness of Junior High. _**


	5. Punk o' clock in the Morning

**_It lives! Nope, I'm still not Tite Kubo, nor am I a corporation. Theme: A Streetkid Named Desire by Bad Religion._**

Lisa shot out from her spot on the couch like she'd been launched. If Pink Floyd cranked up to the max wasn't listed as a sign of the Apocalypse, it damn well should be. Where in the world was Sado getting this stuff? She'd have earworms for the next month. He had _Abba, _for fuck's sake. How many thirteen year olds had heard of Abba? Or Iron Maiden? Or owned a record player?

She sighed, and padded to the kitchen. Something nice and simple, she thought. Pancakes, perhaps? Well, there was flour and milk and quite a lot of eggs.. and there was the syrup.. pancakes it was.

_00_

Sado examined himself in the mirror. A stranger looked back at him. A shiny black jacket, mostly buttoned over his flowered shirt, black dress pants, and black school shoes. After six years of a white shirt, navy blue pants, and brown loafers it was a shock to the system. He ran a hand through his hair and grimaced. It was getting long, but he didn't feel like cutting it just yet. He stuck his tongue out at himself and went to get breakfast. He'd already packed his discs for the day.  
_00_

Lisa smiled at him over the table, and slid some money over.

"Here's some money for lunch. There's a little supermarket between the school and this apartment. I might not be able to make it back in time for dinner. I took a week off from my regular job, and I'm probably going to be swamped. Are you going to be okay on your own?"

"I'll be fine, Yadomaru-san," Sado said, reassuringly.

"What did I tell you about the formalities? Just call me 'Lisa.' Oh, Mr. Ogawa from the realty office will probably be coming by this week. He's got a few clients who are interested in the other apartments. Could you please pack up the skeletons before he drops in?"

"But.."

"I know they're important, but most Japanese people wouldn't feel comfortable with them. Good luck at school."

"Thanks," Sado said. He stopped by the altar on his way out, kissing his knuckles and pressing them to the surface of the small chest.

_Adios, mi familia._

_00_

Sado stuffed the riceballs he'd bought into his bag, joining the albums, notebooks, pencils and other scholastic detritus. There was an apple and a can of cola in there too, somewhere, and a chocolate bar.

He was about to put his headphones back on when he heard loud noises coming from an alleyway. He put the CD player back in his satchel, and went up the alley cautiously. Just to be safe, he picked up a small rock and put the satchel down. Firing a rock fastball over someone's head was a quick way to end a fight.

He found them quite quickly. Five students seemed to be beating up a sixth one, a boy with orange hair. He caught the gleam of brass knuckles as the leader drew back his hand to punch the orange haired boy. He threw the rock right over the leader's head. The orange haired boy was in bad shape- he had to step in before the others killed him.

"Get him!" the leader yelled, dropping the orange haired kid. Two of his followers pinned Sado's arms to his sides. The leader punched Sado in the stomach twice. Sado winced at the pain, but he hardly felt it. His temper began to fray. Cowards. They deserved a good thrashing. He allowed himself to fall backwards, driving his elbows into the stomachs of the two behind him.

The leader and the other three suddenly paled. He smiled, grabbing the leader's wrist, and twisting it before throwing the older boy against a wall. He kicked the downed duo in the ribs, before descending on the other three. They panicked, predictably, and he mowed them down. He played a bit with the last one, letting him get close to the mouth of the alleyway before attacking him. He used a judo throw and slammed his opponent into the ground.

He pulled the orange haired kid to his feet.

"You okay?"

"You're huge," the boy said, blinking. "Hey, that's my school's uniform! And you're in my class?"

"I just transferred in."

"Nice to meet you, uh, Chad. Are you American?"

"_Sado,_" he grumbled. Why were most Japanese kids dumb as posts?

"Are those ninth graders?" he asked, changing the subject. "What'd you do to them?"

"Nothing. I just have funky hair, and they go after me 'cause I stand out. Must be the same for you, huh?"

"I like your hair," Sado said, trying to change the subject. At home, even the oldest kids stayed well out of his way. "Where'd you get it done?"

"This is my _natural_ hair color," the boy grumbled. "Oh, by the way, my name's Kurosaki, Ichigo."

"Sorry, Kurosaki."

"'Kurosaki's my dad. It's 'Ichigo' to you. You're transferring kinda late, so you must have just moved here. Why Karakura?"

"It's my father's home town."

They passed the school gates before Ichigo could think up another question.

"Ichigo!" a girl with short, spiky black hair yelled. "What happened to you?"

"He got jumped,"Sado said. "I think he should go to the nurse's office."

"I'll be fine," Ichigo grumbled.

Another girl- this one with long brown hair- came up to the group. "Is everything all right, Arisawa?"

"Kuneida, could you take Ichigo to the nurse's office? I have to wait here for the transfer student. His name's Sado Yasutora.."

"That's me," Sado said.

"Really?I thought you were a student teacher. Takase is supposed to be terrorizing-er helping to _train_ them today. Follow me. Oh, I'm Arisawa Tatsuki."

00

"So were you a _hikikomori_ or something?" Arisawa asked.

"'Lost in the woods?'" Sado asked, trying to remember the kanji.

She laughed. "You're pretty good at wordplay. Hikikomoris are students who slack off at home and don't go to school. Are you really thirteen?"

"Yes. I had a growth spurt recently."

"That explains it. So why'd you transfer in?"

"My father's family lives in Karakura."

Tatsuki frowned. "Karakura's a pretty small town, so how come I've never seen you before?"

"I'm from Okinawa originally, and I've been living with my mother's family since I was eight."

He knew that Tatsuki would naturally assume that he'd been going to school in Okinawa.

"That must be hard on you," she said. "Have you considered joining any clubs? They're a good way to meet people. I'm in the karate club, student government and the art club."

Sado shrugged. "I've considered it."

"Okay, here's your shoe locker. You're sharing with Ishida, who's in class 2-b. See you in class."

00

Sunao Makino smiled tentatively at his class. He wouldn't admit that he was just as surprised as they were. He'd been aware that Sado was slightly taller than normal; Kinomoto had helpfully suggested that Sado shouldn't be seated in the front. He hadn't expected a student who looked like a walking advertisement for the Charles Atlas treatment, and towered over him. (Makino _had_ tried the Charles Atlas regime, as a short and slender teenager. Sure, he'd gained some muscle, but he hadn't grown an inch.)

"Class, we have a new student today. Sado-kun, could you tell us about yourself?"

"My name is –uh, Sado Yasutora. I was born in Okinawa, and I'm 13. My hobby is enjoying and playing music. My goal for this year is to learn Mandarin Chinese."

"Excellent, Sado-kun," Makino-sensei said, cheerfully. "Now let's see. Hmm, Honzu-chan, why don't you take a seat up front, and Sado-kun will take your seat."

A redhead with short, slightly curly hair sprang up from her seat in the back, glasses sliding down her nose. She had a nice big window, no wonder she wanted to keep it. Sado noticed that she had a spot near Inoue. Were they friends?

"Sensei, that's not fair! I won this seat fair and square! It's ideal!"

"I'm sorry, Honzu-chan, but I can't seat Sado-kun in the front. I'd never see his row-mates again."

He strode to the back, ignoring the whispers.

"Is he really thirteen?"

"..Do Okinawans really look like that?"

"Soo cute.."

"Some guys have all the luck.."

00

"Oh, man, I feel like shit," Yuki Okamura groaned. "Who was that kid?"

"Dunno," his second in command, Toshiya Tamai said."Damn. We lost an hour peeling ourselves off the walls back there."

"How interesting," Katsuya said."You guys look like someone ran you over. I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that you were beating up Kurosaki again and someone decided to teach you a lesson."

The eagle-eyed student council president missed nothing. With his short-cropped hair and confident air, he managed to unnerve most people. Yuki paled under his piercings, remembering the rumor that Katsuya was an enforcer for the Yakuza. Katsuya wasn't violent, but he always seemed eerily calm. He seemed to get as much pleasure out of intimidating bullies as he got from playing drums. He was actually shorter than most of his classmates, but he had long limbs and stood up straight, which made him seem taller.

"Uh, we were defending ourselves?"

"Nice try," Katsuya smiled. "I don't like Kurosaki, much, but I'm glad that someone's trying to keep you in saves me a lot of trouble. Try to behave before I decide you guys need a good stomping."

"Is it just me, or is that smile creepy as all hell?" Toshiya whispered, as Katsuya trotted off.

00

Sado was relaxing on the roof, having made his escape when the lunch bell sounded. He had his headphones clamped to his head, listening to Guns n' Roses. He switched after the first track, sliding in a Brujeria album. He caught a flash of orange, and paused the player.

"Hey," Ichigo said. "Um, Chad, you want some of my lunch? Yuzu always makes too much."

"Thanks," Sado said, after a moment's hesitation. Rice balls only went so far, and he needed to be very careful with his money. Ichigo opened a pair of chopsticks and Sado dove in. He paused to take a sip of the cola. Yuck. It tasted a lot different than the sodas at home.

"Were you on your own this morning?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah. I'm used to cooking for myself, but I ran out of time last evening, and Lisa-san had to get to work."

"You call your mother by her first name?"

"No. Lisa-san's my guardian. I was sent here for school, and my family lives a long way away."

00

"Hey, where do you live? Those guys from this morning are probably going to be looking for you. I owe you, anyway," Ichigo said, leaning on Sado's desk.

"My apartment's a bit north of here."

"Oh, perfect. That's on my way. I have two kid sisters I have to pick up from elementary school."

"Two? I thought the black haired girl was your cousin, Dr. Kurosaki's daughter."

"Karin and Yuzu are twins. We all have the same father."

Sado briefly wondered if Ichigo would consider trading one of his sisters. He'd always wanted a little sister.

00

Of course the guys from the morning scuffle were lurking at the school gate. Just how dumb were they? Even at his most aggressive, Sado'd known better than to pick a fight in front of the adults. After the thumping he'd given them, the bullies should have crawled back into their holes.

A girl was waiting by the gates with an older boy. She had thick glasses, curly hair held back in a small ponytail topped with a ribbon and she wore a grey uniform with the air of a soldier. She also held a little baton in one hand. The boy wore the same uniform, but he was double her size in width and height. Sado estimated that he topped the older boy by a head. The girl was about the same size as Inoue-with less chest. The light glinted off her glasses, and Sado noticed that her eyes were slightly red.

The girl smiled nastily at the group of boys. "Hey, guys. Okamura, you haven't changed a bit."

"Run!" Okumura called, paling. "'That's _Kirino-senpai, _and she's brought The Wall with her!"

The older boys obeyed him, though Ichigo looked annoyed for some reason. Sado wondered why she was able to intimidate three boys who were bigger than she was. She smirked at the departing boys, and then sighed in disappointment and relaxed her stance.

"What are you doing here, Kirino-senpai?" Ichigo asked, glaring at her. "And who's that? I never thought I'd see the day when the 'Samurai Princess' needed back up."

"This is Satoru Doi. He's the captain of the kendo team. I just thought I'd check up on all my little juniors, and this was on his way. Right, Doi-senpaaii? This is Kurosaki Ichigo, Mashiba's resident trouble magnet. And this must be Sado Yasutora- who isn't 25."

The smirk returned. Sado wondered what she wanted.

Doi plastered a smile on. "Right. I'm off. Nice to meet you two."

_I'm doing this for Asano-chan,_ he thought. As long as Hisae introduced him to her older sister's friend, he'd do anything she wanted. He felt really sorry for the overgrown kid. It was clear as crystal who Hisae was really interested in, and his hyper-active teammate didn't take 'no' for an answer.

Hisae smiled. "Well, you certainly live up to your reputation, Kurosaki. I hope your friend lives up to his. Shigeo, Katsuya, over here!"

She brushed past the two, waving to a bleached-blonde boy and his lanky dark-haired companion. Ichigo looked stricken.

"Chad, how the hell do you know Kirino-senpai?" Ichigo asked sharply.

"I don't," Sado answered.

"I'll give you some advice; stay away from her. She's trouble."

_Says you,_ Sado thought. But how did Kirino know his name? Or anything about him?

_00_

"Unbelievable," Shigeo said. "You're telling me that great big guy is _thirteen?"_

He had bleached blonde hair and a single stud in his ear. He was short and compact, and always seemed to be brimming with energy. He didn't really care about anything but music, his guitar and Ayaka. (Not necessarily in that order.)

"Yep," Hisae said. "As his senpais, it's your job to coach him. And you'd better do it quickly, 'cause he's hanging out with the resident trouble magnet."

Shigeo sighed. This was a textbook case of the pot calling the kettle black. Hisae had nearly been suspended last year for the infamous incident known as 'the Kendo Team Trials.' It was a minor miracle that the music club hadn't been banned, given the amount of scrapes they all got into. Hisae and Emiri Morishita were the worst offenders, though Ayaka'd broken the school record for dress code violations. She was probably going to repeat that feat in high school.

Hisae hummed cheerfully as Shigeo and Katsuya discussed ways to lure Sado into their club. Life had been getting a little dull lately, and Shigeo and Katsuya had been at loose ends since the other members of the music club graduated. Technically, the music club had two charter members, but they didn't attend meetings and rarely did anything beyond back-up vocals.

Sado's arrival solved things quite nicely, as far as she was concerned. The guys needed a guitarist, and Goblin Queens could use the competition.

00

Sado changed out of his uniform quickly, and put on a bright blue shirt, a pair of cargo pants, and his motorcycle boots. He grinned at the effect, and grabbed his guitar. He had a couple of hours before sunset- more than enough time to scare up some cash. He might be forced to play the part of a schoolboy during the day, but at night he could be himself. Just another punk kid, who didn't need anything but his guitar and his music.

**_Hisae's info is on my profile page, if you want to find out more about her. Stay tuned and please review. _**


	6. The Future ain't Tomorrow

**_Once again, not my sandbox. Theme: Complicated Fun, by the Suicide Commandos. Kubo owns everything but the older girls._**

_Now the future ain't tomorrow, now the changes have begun  
We've gotta get a handle on some complicated fun  
You show me where the plug is and I'll recharge on the run_

Sado fumbled for the button that would turn off the music. He stretched and yawned, and flicked open a shade. Rain, yay. He was used to sun; he enjoyed sunbathing to the point that Abuelo used to tease him about being part cat.

He made a face and began to unearth his umbrella. He'd have to ask Lisa to buy him a raincoat, since he'd outgrown his old raincoat a few months ago. He sighed. One day of school down, and about 400 more to go. There wasn't enough music in the world to get him through this.  
00

"Ugh, rain," Ichigo grumbled, holding his umbrella up. Karin had gotten ahead of them, and Yuzu lagged behind.

"Ichi-ni, did you ever see that homeless man again?" Yuzu asked. "I keep worrying about him. He seemed so young."

"He's not homeless," Ichigo replied. "His name's Sado Yasutora, and he came up here for school. His parents live in Okinawa- I guess they must be traveling or something."

"How do you know all this?"

"He's in my class."

00

"Rar-eyaa, ra-ea- ra, a magnificent mushroom cloud in the sky…"

Four umbrellas bobbed along, three on the sidewalk and one on a wall next to the sidewalk. The girl under the purple umbrella sung her heart out, while the girls with the blue, gold and green umbrellas chattered.

"I don't believe it," Ayaka Komatsu grumbled. Her chin length black hair was held back with a thick gold-colored headband, and a necklace peeked out of her school uniform's blouse. She dyed the tips of her hair, and hated the school uniforms with a passion. She had long legs and arms, and never seemed to run out of energy when she was onstage.

"I know, it's hard to believe he's thirteen," Tae said, tugging at her braid. "No wonder none of the university students knew who he was. What a waste. He has a body that should be in museums, and he's totally off limits."

"Tae, quit channeling your grandmother," Hisae scolded.

"Make your heart into a bridge, don't worry about tsunami-iii!"

Emi Morishita yelped as she fell off the wall, overbalanced by an ill-timed spin. She was the slightest and smallest of the four, so Tae could easily catch her. Tae was stout and sturdy, but even so, she had to take a step back before setting Emi on her feet. The keyboardist smoothed her brown hair and skirt down and held out a hand for her purple umbrella.

"Were you guys talking about Sado-kun?" Emi asked.

"Yeah. He just transferred into Mashiba. He's in the class below Shigeo and Katsuya. Wait a minute, how do you know him?

"He goes to my church," Emi chirped cheerfully. "We talked about the bells. He's really cool, for an underclassman."  
"You saw him last Sunday and you didn't call us?" Tae asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

"I didn't want to ruin your fun. 'Ahhh…On the lunch bench, a dream blossoms.."

"Fun, she calls it," Tae muttered.

00

Sado extracted the flyer from his shoe locker and frowned at it. The "Only After Dark Rock 'n Roll All Stars?" He raised an eyebrow, recognizing the reference. He wondered who put it in there, but he didn't have time to ask. He stuffed it into his satchel.

00

It was still raining when lunch rolled around. Sado glared at the sky and pulled out his CD player. He flipped through his satchel. Los Amigos Invisibles,Los Lobos, and Def Leppard seemed like appropriate lunch time companions. He'd left his Mick Ronson compilation at home, unfortunately. He regarded that as serious comfort music, along with everything by Joel Bataan, Santana and Los Tigres del Norte.

A hand landed on his disc player, and he looked up to find Orihime smiling at him.

"Meanie," she scolded. "We didn't get a chance to talk all day yesterday, and now you want to listen to music? What were you going to listen to?"

"Los Amigos Invisibles, a band from Venezuela. Oh, by the way, do you know anything about this?"

He showed her the flyer.

"Oh, wow, the pops club is still going? After Komatsu-senpai and the others graduated, I thought it was disbanded. Kurosaki-kun and I joined, but we don't attend meetings."

"The only reason they're still going is that no one wants Takase to have a lot of free time," Tatsuki added. "Technically, Ikeda runs it, but they can't get anyone to join 'cause of their reputation. They can't even meet on school grounds 'til they get new members."

"Rough crowd?" Sado asked.

"No, they're just insane. Komatsu-senpai and Uesugi-senpai are eccentric but harmless. They never met a dress code they couldn't violate. Komatsu's skirts tend to be too short, or the wrong color, and Uesugi kept coming to school without socks or without her uniform. Morishita, Takase, and Kirino are the ones to watch out for."

Tatsuki smiled, remembering. Uesugi hated the uniforms because they got in her way. On her few off days, Uesugi favored the lontai style; long and tight skirts, or she knocked around in jeans. If she absolutely had to wear a short skirt, she wore bicycle shorts underneath so no one could sneak a peek.

"Weren't Komatsu and Uesugi the ones who took over the school dance to match beat?" Chizuru asked.

"Beat-matching?" Sado asked.

"Yeah, that. What is it, anyway?"

"Oh, you try to play a song that starts with the same beat as the one before it."

"Like shiritori, only with music!" Orihime exclaimed.

Sado gave her his blankest look.

"Didn't you ever play that? Where you match each word to the first word's last syllable?"

"Oh, yeah. So, what's Kirino-senpai like? She seems to know me from somewhere."

"She's nice," Orihime said. "A few times, she'd be waiting by the school gates when I was waiting for my brother, just to keep anything from happening. Once she got really mad at some ninth graders. She staged a full trial, and put Tatsuki, Kurosaki-kun and me on the witness stand."

"Don't remind me," Tatsuki groaned. "Morishita's worse, though. She was bullied for a while in seventh grade, and one day, she baked a bunch of cookies and gave them to the girls who were pushing her around."

"That was nice of her," Sado said.

"That's exactly what they thought. So they gobbled the cookies down, and spent the rest of the day in the bathrooms. She 'accidentally' put in some syrup of ipecac."

"Tatsuki, that's just a rumor!"

"No, it isn't. One of the girls has a brother on the karate told me all about it."

"Do you know anything about Ikeda and Takase?" Sado asked.

"Takase is the president of the student council. He's kind of scary, and a lot of students here think he's in a gang. I doubt it, he's too smart to do that. I don't know much about Ikeda," Tatsuki replied.

"He's totally obsessed with music," Ichigo said, stopping in his attack on his lunch. "He's also hyper as hell. He stalked me for a week, trying to get me to join that club."

"You don't like music?"

"I like to listen to it," Ichigo said with a shrug.

"What sort of music?"

"J-rock, some K-rock and a few American bands."

"K-rock?"

"Music from Korea. What about you?"

"Anything with serious guitar in it," Sado said. "Mostly Western music- American, English, Mexican. I was practically raised on the Sex Pistols, and one of my cousins was named for the lead singer of the Ramones."

"Really?" Orihime asked. "What's his name?"

"She's called Ramona. Tia Vera refused to let her be named 'Johnny.'"

Orihime burst into laughter. Sado cracked a smile. He missed Ramona, and he missed Vera too.

00

The first rule of the Mashiba Jr. High Light Rock club was that there was no Mashiba Light Rock Club. Ayaka had changed its name in seventh grade. The boys had kept the name out of respect for their senpais. They weren't supposed to use the room anymore; the club had drifted far below the level of membership required to be recognized by Mashiba's faculty. Nevertheless, Shigeo and Katsuya waited.

"He isn't coming, is he?" Shigeo asked, looking at the clock. Five already? He needed to get to cram school. It didn't really matter to him whether he got into high school or not; but it did to his parents. Katsuya didn't seem to put any effort into his education, but he still pulled down solid Bs.

"No. I guess we'll have to go with the direct approach. He probably doesn't know the club's still operating."

"Is it really okay for the student council president to participate in an illegal club?" Shigeo teased.

"Don't know, don't care. It's not like we're doing anything _really _illegal."

"Oh come on, everyone knows you can't have rock'n'roll without sex and drugs."

Katsuya rolled his eyes. "I'll pass on the drugs, thanks."

"What about the ssseeex?"

"Shut up."

00

Sado grinned to himself as he unlatched his apartment. He was now a proud member of the working class. He had his very own paper route. He wrinkled his nose at the note Lisa'd left_. I made lunch and a few side dishes. There's pork thawing. Don't wait up._

There was a letter waiting for him too. He checked the address and smiled. He'd been worried that his family'd forgotten him.

_Hey, Tiger,_

_I sent the radios to the post office today. I think they'll arrive in Japan sometime next week. I hope you're doing okay. What's Japan like? Do you have to wear a uniform to school there too? I sent some tomatillo seeds along. I bet you can't get any salsa verde in Japan, and that was always one of your favorites. Miguel and the others miss you, and Tio Alejandro says Ramona's been mopey since you isn't happy either. Honestly, if I could afford it and didn't have to worry about La Migra, I'd be happy to let you stay with me until you finished school. I know this may be surprising, but you're still family, no matter what you did in the past. Oh, when you get the wireless set up, make sure you contact someone immediately. Tio said that he's gotten several inquiries about you._

_Rodrigo_

_P.S. Celia says hi!_

Sado smiled, retrieving the little packet of seeds. He'd have to get a pot or two, and give the plants a nice sunny spot. He already missed most of the foods he was used to. There were very few people in Japan who'd be able to appreciate dulce de leche, flan, or any variety of salsa and guacamole. He could make most of his favorite dishes, but avocado and cactus just didn't grow in Japan. And they'd be a nightmare to ship.

He moved to the computer and after a few false starts, got it booted up. He headed to a BBS that the younger users of ham radio sets often frequented. He posted a message for 'For the Ell of it' and 'Sea Dragon.' 'For the 'Ell" was a boy living in Switzerland and "Sea Dragon' was a girl living in Korea. He didn't know much about them except that they were both thirteen, liked music, and would raise high holy hell if someone they knew was missing. Abuelo's set had been knocked out for a couple of weeks when Sado was ten, and both of them had raised a fuss until they'd been reassured that everyone was okay.

Sado had never met either of them. The only people he'd met face to face were Foghorn, Scorched Earth, Sand'n'blood, Alpine Condor and Secret Indian. Foghorn lived in San Francisco, Scorched Earth in Austin, Texas and Secret Indian lived in Sonora, very close to the Arizona border. Sand'n'blood was an Angolan refugee who'd ended up settling in a barrio in Mexico City, teaching history in a high school. Alpine Condor lived in Oaxaca; he was Peruvian by birth and taught in a university.

Foghorn was an Asian American, who strangely, lived not far from where Rodrigo was now. In fact, the old man had sponsored his friend's great-nephew. Sado'd heard that Foghorn used to be in the city council. Now he kept himself busy with his radio set, his circle of friends and lending a helping hand where needed.

Scorched Earth was a lovely forty-year-old African American woman, who'd moved from Arizona to be with her new husband. She'd visited them a few times, with kids in tow, but her work as a customs official and her family life often interfered with the amount of time she could spend broadcasting.

Secret Indian was in his thirties, an indigenous man who worked hard for his pueblo, traveling around Mexico to lend his help to other activists and improve the lot of the indios.

Abuelo'd been a real radical back in the day, and Sado suspected he had a soft-spot for the various activists, radicals and dissidents who took to the airwaves. He'd been one of the few in the family to support Piedad's endeavors in higher education. He'd also helped Verdad, his neighbor's daughter and later a niece-in-law, in her career as a photojournalist. Verdad still had her first camera displayed proudly at her home. It was beaten and battered, but Sado's friends had fought hard for the honor of being able to snap just one picture with it.

Sado shook his head. He missed them all so much but he didn't have time to wallow. He needed to start working, so he could go back home. He might have been born in Japan, but he wasn't Japanese.

_Yo soy Mexicano. Siempre._

00

"So when are you coming back?" Shinji asked over the phone. He sounded tinny and downright whiny over the cell phone. "Hachi'll be back on Sunday."

"I was thinking of taking the kids out to the park on Sunday," she replied, fitting the key into the lock.

Shinji sputtered and she chuckled.

"Oh, they're fine. I've only met Mima once, but she doesn't have much reiatsu. Yasu's got a lot more power than I'd like. Well, no, he's managed to get his temper under control, but Kensei told me some pretty scary things. That seal isn't holding as well as we hoped. Kensei did some repair work on it, so we'll just have to wait and see how that works out."

She chuckled. "Yes, I am enjoying myself. He's a sweet kid, and quite independent. No, I don't mind. It makes my job easier."

She let herself in and looked around. Nice and neat, just like always. Her bed on the couch had been made, and Sado was already asleep. She peeked in on him, chuckled, and took his headphones off.

_** song verse at the beginning is from Complicated Fun.**_

_**2. All of the bands referenced are real. The song Emi is singing is the theme from Paranoia Agent.**_

**_3. No, seriously, those are the lyrics for it._**

**_Through the power of the nets, I see we have more people onboard for this warped little tour through the past. Welcome, one and all. Please drop a review on the way out. (Five or more, and I'll post a "Dia de los Muertos' side story.)_**

**_Tune in soon._**


	7. Like a Pinch in the Neck from Mr Spock

**Still don't own Bleach. Some guy named Tite does. Theme: Intergalactic, by the Beastie Boys.**

Sado always felt a sense of relief when Sunday rolled around. Two tests and a pop quiz had sucked his energy away. The ninth graders had been working even harder. It was nice to slip back into the old familiar routine; church in the morning, lunch with his cousins, and playing until sunset. Well, make that lunch with his _cousin_, he thought wryly.

Japanese families were so _small_. Back home, his family'd been considered odd because even the most prolific of his cousins, Tia Sofia, only had three children. Some of his classmates back home had five or more siblings.

The final hymn was sung and the priest dismissed his congregation. Sado tucked away his rosary and headed for the door. A girl in a long old fashioned dress waved him over, grinning. Emi looked like an innocent angel in those clothes, but her grin made Sado wonder what deviltry she was going to get up to. She had a lacy headband on, and her dress was half white and half black with a lot of bows and ruffles. Her long hair flowed down her back, and she kept her hands protected with dainty ornamental gloves.

"Hey, I brought some CDs," she said. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just put in my favorite Japanese bands. I also threw in a tape- it's just of me and my friends, from last year."

"Thanks, Morishita-senpai," Sado replied. "Did you know you're famous around Mashiba?"

"I'm not surprised. Did Kurosaki rat me out? He never liked being in the club, and he always fussed about having to pick up his little sisters. He's got a good voice, but no drive."

Sado smiled and changed the subject. "Do your parents make you dress like that?"

"Nope. I just like this 's called 'Gothic Lolita.'"

She twirled, making the black skirt flare out. The ruffled headband slipped off her head slightly.

"Looks nice," Sado said. It _did _look good on her, and he couldn't help but like someone with such an offbeat style.

"Hey, speaking of parents, how come your parents aren't here? Are you a convert?"

"My mother was Catholic, my father's a Buddhist."

Emi frowned. "So your dad makes your mom stay home from church?"

He shook his head. "No, she'd come if she could, but it's not possible right now."

"Okay, then, guess I'll see you next week."

He wasn't exactly lying to her, he told himself. He wasn't lying to Ichigo, Arisawa or Inoue either.

He didn't owe anyone an explanation.

00

"So what'd you do this weekend?" Tatsuki asked him. They were in home economics class, and Sado had ended up with her and Chizuru. Orihime was in study hall, and Ichigo was partnered with a girl named Michiru from their class. The teacher had hastily added Sado to the group when she realized she'd accidentally paired up Chizuru and Tatsuki. After about five minutes in their company, Sado realized that the teacher had added him to keep the two girls from killing each other.

"Nothing much," he said absently, cutting up a mushroom carefully. "I played baseball with my cousin and practiced guitar. Oh, and a couple of people came over to check out the apartments in my building."

"Oh, you have family around here?" Chizuru asked. "Does your cousin go to Mashiba? Is she pretty?"

"Yes, I do, but I hardly know them. Mima's three years younger than me. She takes after her mother, and I guess Tia Shouko could be considered pretty."

"I guess you're out of luck, Chizuru," Tatsuki said with a malicious grin, dropping the mushrooms into their oily doom.

"Hmph," Chizuru said, pouting. "I'm still mad at you, Sado-kun."

"Why?"

"Ah, don't mind her," Tatsuki said, "She's still sore about losing her Orihime watching spot."

"I was using that seat for bird-watching!"

"Uh-huh," Tatsuki said, rolling her eyes.

"You two are pretty good friends, huh?" Sado joked.

"Oh,ick, don't even joke," Tatsuki grumbled. "I've just been in the same class as this horndog since kindergarten. I hate living in a small town sometimes."

Sado cut up some onions, rather than continue the conversation. None of his classmates from Okinawa would recognize him now. He wondered what they looked like now.

00

Katsuya had privately admitted to himself that the indirect approach hadn't worked. He'd reluctantly gone along with Shigeo's plans, hoping that Shigeo wouldn't scar the poor kid for life. They saw him about a block outside of school, and Katsuya smiled.

He wanted to drop through the ground when Shigeo greeted their prey with a merry cry of "Oi, Bigpaws!"

He couldn't believe it actually worked.

00

Sado stopped dead in his tracks. How could anyone here know that name? It was his childhood nickname and his radio handle, but he hadn't told anyone that. He quickly ran through all the Japanese operators he knew. Funeral for Dolls was the only operator anywhere near his age, and she lived in Kobe.

He recognized the older boy from before. The bleached blonde still had that same grin, and Sado suddenly realized he was a bit taller than Ichigo. A single earring glinted in one of his ears. He was panting, probably from running after them.

"For such a big guy, you move fast," he complained. "Eh, sorry, I'm Ikeda, Shigeo. You must be Sado-kun."

"Do I know you from anywhere?" Sado asked.

"Probably not," Shigeo laughed. "Anyway, are you interested in music?"

"Darn it, Shigeo, warn me if you're going to pull shit like that," the black-haired older boy grumbled. He smiled at Sado and Ichigo. He was short but long limbed, and wore his hair close clipped, unlike Shigeo's floppy mop.

"Hey, Kurosaki, long time no see. And you're.. Sado-kun, the transfer student, right?"

"Yes, and you are.."

"Takase, Katsuya. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Ah, guys," Ichigo broke in, "I hate to interrupt whatever-the-hell you think you're doing, but we got trouble."

"Just leave it to us," Shigeo said cheerfully. "After all, we're supposed to look out for all our ickle underclassmen."

Katsuya smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets. He strolled directly in the line of sight of the bullies. It was the same boy with the nose piercing who Sado'd flattened a week before, and the same set of flunkies.

"Ah! What are you doing to my neck, you crazy freak?" one of them screeched. Shigeo had snuck up behind him and pinched his neck.

"TV lied to me," Shigeo said. "This always worked for Spock."

Katsuya sighed, and grabbed the ringleader's arm. He bent the other boy's pinkie, keeping his other arm behind the boy's elbow for better leverage.

"You know, you can do a lot of things with only four fingers," he said, calmly. "Course, a broken finger hurts like hell."

"No, please.." the boy grunted. "For fuck's sake, man, what'd you do if I told the teachers about this?"

"I am the student council president. You're a delinquent. Who do you think they'd believe?"

From the other student's sudden paleness, Sado guessed Katsuya was exerting some pressure on his finger.

"You're crazy, man."

"Yep," Katsuya said, letting go and pushing the boy away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an urgent business meeting. Anyone who detains me will be entering into an exciting new life as a drum."

"Business?" Sado asked as the boys took off. "I thought you wanted me to join a club."

"No," Shigeo said grinning. "Who needs a club when we could have a band?"

00

"Tae said you have a Harmony guitar. Do you have any electrics?" Shigeo asked.

"Not yet. I'm saving up for one," Sado said. Ichigo'd ditched them. Sado got the feeling he found Katsuya to be unsettling. "I have an acoustic Gibson,but that's an antique."

"Oh, man, you gotta let me play it. Or at least hold it," Shigeo said, eyes aglow.

"What do you play?"

"I have an EB-3 bass. And an acoustic Harmony."

"It's a nice brand. I think the Gibsons hold up better in the long run."

"Yeah, they cost an arm and a leg, but they're worth it."

"Takase, what do you play?" Sado asked.

"Drums, of course!"

Natch, Sado thought. He should've figured it out earlier, just from Takase's reputation. It was unfair to say all drummers were crazy, but almost all of them inhabited that fine line between genius and total insanity.

"Hey, I have an idea," Shigeo said. "I'm storing my bass at 'Suya's house. It's not far from here. Why don't you grab your guitar and come on over for a jam session?"

"Are your parents going to be okay with that, Takase?" Sado asked.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. What styles do you know?"

Shigeo snickered. As the 'bonus baby' of two former juvenile delinquents, Katsuya could get away with a parents didn't have a problem with their son wanting to bang on drums all day, or hanging out with people who dyed their hair and dressed strangely.

"Norteno, mostly. I can also play mariachi, salsa, punk, and I'm learning meringue."

"Are you talking about food or music?"

00

"..Today's music ain't got noo soul.. just give me that ollllld time rock 'n roll," Shigeo crooned.

Sado grinned, and strummed faster, keeping up with Katsuya's tempo. It would have sounded better with a keyboard and a sax, but they were doing pretty well.

"Still like that old rock n'roll, that kind of music just soothes the soul.."

Shigeo went into a slide at the same time the door opened. A surprised older woman stopped short, and Shigeo miscalculated and hit a bookshelf. She had long black hair like Katsuya's, held back with a flowered headband, and though she was short compared to Lisa, she had long limbs and held herself straight and tall. She dressed a bit flashily for a Japanese woman; a bright red shirt with black dress slacks, two red earrings in each ear, and Sado was pretty sure that the bracelet on her wrist had been a bike chain in a former life. And that headband was actually a black bandanna, cunningly folded so it looked like a hairband.

"Uh.. Hi! How are you doing, Mrs. Takase?" Shigeo said brightly.

"Just fine, thank you. Practicing?"

Sado thought she was pretty nonchalant about Shigeo nearly crashing into her. Evidently Katsuya held practice sessions here pretty often. She didn't seem concerned about the pretend microphone (a hairbrush and two toilet paper rolls), the drums on the bare floor, or the total stranger in her living room.

"Yep."

"Well, at least everyone's still wearing pants. Katsuya, come help me with the groceries. Did Kasumi come home yet?"

"She has flute lessons today, Mom."

"Oh, that's right," she said, and frowned in a quizzical manner at Sado. "I see my son brought in another stray. Who are you?"

"I'm Sado Yasutora, ma'am. I go to Mashiba."

"Did you just transfer in?"

"Yes."

"We're trying to get him to play in our band, Mom," Katsuya said. "He's a wicked guitarist. He's more than a match for Ayaka-senpai or the guitarist from Wagtails at Dawn."

"Oh, so you're in ninth grade?" Mrs. Takase asked.

"No, I'm in eighth grade."

She looked him up and down. "Were you held back a year?"

"No."

"I'll call Junichi; I don't think I can cook enough for everyone on such short notice. Do you like Korean barbecue?"

Sado nodded.

"Good. That way we'll have enough food even if Kasumi brings some of her friends over."

00

Sado kicked off his shoes in the entryway, humming absently. A band, huh? Well, it sounded interesting. Katsuya's family was nice, though Kasumi seemed a bit shy. The takeout had been delicious; Sado had forgotten how good Korean barbecue was. For some odd reason, everyone seemed to believe he needed a lot of food.

Shigeo had offered to walk him back, but Sado had preferred to take his own route home. He knew several shortcuts that made getting around easier and faster, though they weren't for the faint of heart.

He spread out his homework on the table, before checking the landline's messages. Lisa'd called; she'd be back to help get the tenants settled tomorrow. That was depressing, since Sado actually liked being on his own.

His cell phone rang. Sado picked it up gingerly. Like the computer, he hardly used it and barely understood how it worked. Ichigo, Lisa, Inoue, Shouko, Mima, Rodrigo and Tia Vera were the only ones who had the cell's number. Since he wasn't listed in the school directory yet, no one from school knew his home number, though his family did.

"_Hola, Yasu aqui.."_

"Chad?" Ichigo asked. "I could have sworn this was the right number."

"Ah, sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"You okay? What did those seniors want with you?"

"I'm fine. Takase and Ikeda wanted to talk to me about forming a band."

"What'd you say?"

"I need an electric guitar first, but it sounds fun."

"Are your parents going to let you join a band?"

"I haven't asked them. No one else is home right now."

He was pretty sure Lisa would be okay with it. She trusted him enough to leave him alone for a couple of days, after all. Papa would've been thrilled; they'd be at the nearest guitar shop now bickering over the merits of this or that axe until the shopkeeper threw them out. Mama would smile, tease him gently, and tell him to bring his bandmates over. Abuelo would've grinned and told him to go for it.

"Chad, are you sure everything's all right? You seem to be on your own a lot."

"Ichigo, I'm fine. Lisa-san's coming over tomorrow, and I can handle things here for tonight."

"Okay, if you're sure. See you tomorrow."

_Even if I told you the truth ,_ Sado thought, _it's not like you could do anything about it. They're gone. All your magic, all your power, couldn't bring them back. _


	8. All that I need

**Kubo and Viz own this and my paycheck. Theme: All I need, by Matchbox 20.**

Sado swung the pendulum, checking his course. He really shouldn't have made Orihime go out of her way like this, but he'd be embarrassed to ask Ichigo. Mima would laugh at him, and Emi had rehearsal. He'd ask Tatsuki, but she had karate practice. It was for the best, really. Even if Tatsuki didn't hate him for being half-Japanese, her parents would probably raise a fuss. He didn't want to ask Shigeo or Katsuya. He'd never live it down, and it'd probably lead to awkward questions. They'd probably find it strange that he had no idea what the local grocery store offered. He didn't even remember what was in season.

He didn't know any of the other students well enough to ask them to tag along with him. The prospective tenants (who he hadn't met) were at their own apartments, packing up. Lisa was at the lawyer's, finalizing all the leases, and Sado didn't really want to ask her anyway. He was thirteen! He didn't need a baby-sitter, just a guide.

"Chaaad!" Orihime called, waving frantically. She wore a pretty red skirt and a white top. Sado tried not to notice that the blouse was under severe stress. He was annoyed that she was using Ichigo's nickname; _chingatte, _he'd never be rid of it now. He pocketed the pendulum quickly.

"Thank goodness," she chirped, running up to him. "I was worried you'd get lost."

Sado grinned. "I had some help. Let's go shopping."

He'd learned to dowse at a young age and used both a pendulum and a compass to find his way in new areas. Karakura buzzed with power, so he could find his way easily by dowsing for the hotspots. He didn't even need the pendulum to find Ichigo or Lisa.

"Yes! Today's the best day, 'cause they have all kinds of bargains. So what do you want to look for?"

"Everything. I need... let's see, milk, eggs, bread, chocolate, cheese... and whatever fruits and vegetables they have. Maize flour..."

"What's that last one?"

"Ah, nothing. They probably don't sell it anyway."

"Oh, I see. It's something they only sold in Okinawa?"

"Something like that," Sado hedged.

"Are you a good cook?" Orihime asked, scanning the shopping list.

"Yeah. I'd always hang around in the kitchen as a kid. For the last year, I've been doing all the cooking for my family."

"That sounds rough."

"I was doing pretty well until I moved here. Now I'm back to square one. Most of the ingredients I'm used to just can't be found here."

And the ones that could be found were expensive, he realized. He could feel the money being sucked out of his wallet.

"Is that how much eggs go for?" he asked Orihime, convinced the supermarket was cheating.

"What do you mean? They're on sale today. I like shopping at the store 'cause it has sales every Thursday."

"What about the tomatoes?"

"Well, they're cheaper in the summer, but not by much."

"I think I should start growing my own," Sado grumbled. "I've never paid for tomatoes in my life." The avocados were way out of his price range, and back home all he'd had to do was go outside to get one. He'd never paid for eggs either, and the milk here was twice the price of milk at home. They'd kept chickens in Mexico, but he suspected that was probably illegal in the city. Sparrow's parents had a ranchero, and the family had always been able to get a fair price from them. When Sparrow was younger, her family had bartered milk for English lessons.

"Really?" Orihime said. "I have a garden, but it's tough to keep everything growing. You must have a lot of patience."

Sado shrugged. "It never seemed that hard to me."

00

"A band?" Lisa said, surprised. "I guess I should have seen that coming. I don't have any objection."

"Thanks."

"What do you think of your band mates?"

"Ikeda's a little hyper, and Takase seems pretty level headed for a guy who's totally loco. They seem nice, but I wouldn't want to get on their bad sides."

"Why do you think Takase is insane?"

"He's a drummer."

Lisa rolled her eyes. She'd never get the rules of rock and roll figured out.

00

Lisa sat down, Yoshimoto on her left, Sado on her right, and the family's lawyer, Irie, next to Yoshimoto. The three prospective renters eyed the three adults, and then zeroed in on Sado. To Lisa's quiet amusement, even the male tenant was eying Sado.

If she hadn't written the ad herself, she'd wonder what it said. "Rent ¥38,125.00 per month, utilities, wireless and hot landlord included," perhaps. If Sado weren't so young, she'd've considered seducing him herself.

"Miss Kenmochi, Mr. Utsumiya, Miss Tsujimoto, have you all read the lease agreements?"

"Yes," said 'Miss Kenmochi," a serious young woman with short brown hair. She wore black pants and a starched white blouse. She was studying drama at the local college.

Utsomiya frowned at his copy of the lease. "I don't get the set-up here. Mr. Sado is the owner, but Ms. Yadomaru collects our rent?"

Unlike the other two, Utsomiya was dressed very casually, in blue jeans and a short-sleeve black t-shirt. His hair was black and shaggy, suggesting that he cut his hair himself. Lisa thought he was cute. She hated having to disappoint them, but she had her duties to consider.

"That's right. Sado-kun's still underage, so I have to handle all the legal stuff. However, you can contact either of us if there's an emergency or a problem with your unit."

"Eh, how old are you, Sado-kun?" Tsujimoto asked. She had dark black hair, tied in two long braids and coke bottle glasses. She was wearing a long flowered skirt, and a red blouse, and looked as though she'd gotten dressed in the leading edge of a hurricane.

"Thirteen," Sado replied. "Anyway, I was wondering. I was planning to use the first floor to practice music in, would any of you have a problem with that?"

"I date a drummer, so, no," Utsomiya said.

"What kind of music?" Kenmochi asked.

"Rock, probably."

"I can live with that," she replied.

Tsujimoto shrugged. "Go ahead."

She smiled nervously and added, "Um, shouldn't Sado-kun's parents be part of this discussion?"

"..That would be a little difficult," Irie said grimly. "Sado-kun's parents are deceased."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, I didn't know!"

"You're such a ditz, Tsujimoto," Kenmochi grumbled. "Come on, let's just move our stuff in and scare up some grub."

"I'll help," Sado said. "What do you guys have?"

"A futon, a nightstand, a bookshelf and a dresser," Utsomiya said.

"Duffel bag, my books and a futon," Kenmochi said. "I brought it on my bike."

"Just a duffel bag," Tsujimoto said. "I moved from another prefecture, so I had to ship all my stuff through the post office."

"But you've been going to college since March," Kenmochi grumbled. "Where did you ship your stuff from?"

"Okinawa, but I rerouted the packages through Osaka, and my stuff's in Fukushima right now."

"It's been in transit for two months and you haven't complained?"

"I also changed my first name... so maybe that's the problem."

"Aargh! How do you survive! You're so dim, there are lanterns that are brighter! I could cut your head open and put a firefly inside, and the firefly would be smarter than you!"

Utsomiya laughed. "College kids, huh? Are you going to college after high school?"

"I don't even know if I'll go to high school," Sado replied.

"I didn't. I dunno, college seems interesting, but I like what I'm doing now."

"And that is?"

"I'm a tattoo artist."  
"How old do you have to be to get inked here?"

"You have to be eighteen. Unless you get permission from a parent or guardian. You want some ink?"

"Yes. I was thinking of getting something small on my shoulder or back."

"It's kind of unusual for a kid your age to want a tattoo, isn't it?'

"Maybe. Back home, a lot of people I knew had tats. It helped them remember important events."

"Well, I can't do anything for you right now, but I can lend you my portfolio and a few design books. Would that be okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

00

Sado was engrossed in his science homework when he was startled by a knock on the door.

"Um, Sado-kun, it's Tsujimoto. Have you eaten yet?" she said, when he opened it.

"No, why?"

"Well, I was talking with the others while we were shopping, and we decided that since we're all on our own, it might be a good idea to have dinner together. Do you want to join us? Kenmochi's making soba, and I'm throwing together a salad. Utsomiya's going to grab some dessert."

She looked very hopeful.

"Should I do anything?" Sado asked, hoping she'd leave him in peace.

"You don't have to," she said quickly.

"I have some frozen potstickers I can boil up, and some leftovers from my home ec class."

"Ok. Dinner's in thirty minutes."

00

"Sado-kun, are you planning to join any of the bands around here?" Utsomiya asked. "I know a few people in We Belong Dead. They're one of the biggest local groups. They were debating expanding, so there might be a spot for you."

"Thanks, but I'm joining up with some guys from my school," Sado replied, repositioning his chopsticks for an attack on his noodles.

"Where do you go to school?"

"Mashiba."

"That's the same junior high that the Goblin Queens came from, isn't it?"

"I just moved here, so I don't know any of the local bands."

"Oh, right. Well, the Goblin Queens are one of the two all-girl bands around here. They have four members, and they all go to the same high school. Funny kids. I saw the drummer, the lead guitarist and two of their friends dashing all around town a couple of weeks ago."

Sado laughed. "They were looking for me. Uesugi saw me in the park, practicing, and snapped a photo."

"I ran into them," Kenmochi said. "They thought you were about twenty, so they were casing the places where the college students hang out. I can see how they made that mistake. I kind of assumed you were older too."

Tsujimoto nodded. "Me too. It isn't just that you look older, you act older too."

Sado just clicked his chopsticks and grabbed another helping of noodles. He'd never really had a choice about that; he'd always acted older because acting his age would have embarrassed his parents- especially Mami. She had enough problems living in Japan, where she was constantly ostracized and harassed.

Sado had gotten along with both his parents, though he tended to identify more with his mother. Papa never understood what they went through, but he was easy going and fun to hang out with. Papa loved kids, doted on his only son, and was always ready for a new adventure.

Considering what Sado'd heard about his father's relationship with his grandfather, it was a minor miracle that he had nothing but good memories of both his parents.

"Oh, Sado, don't worry about cleanup," Kenmochi said. "Utsomiya will take care of it."

"Why me?" Utsomiya protested.

"Everyone else has homework."

"That's what I get for buddying up with students," Utsomiya grumbled.

00

Sado sent a quick text to Katsuya and Shigeo.

Shigeo sent back: _Awesome! Your parents must be so cool they cause blizzards!_

Katsuya called, missing a collision with Shigeo's text by a millisecond.

"Hey, Sado, just got the news. Glad to have you on board. Any idea when you can get an electric guitar?"

"When I save up enough, I guess," Sado said, tallying up his budget and looking at it in dismay. "I think I'll need three other jobs to pay for it."

"When's your birthday?"

"Next April."

"Rats. Can you talk your parents into getting you a post-birthday present?"

"Probably not. I could ask Tia Shouko, but she doesn't have a lot of spare cash."

"I thought your family was swimming in money."

Sado laughed. "Hardly. I think Grandpa lost a fair bit in the crash, and Tia Shouko doesn't have a lot of spare cash. My mother's family is.. well, they get by."

Haruna might let herself be cajoled into buying him a guitar, but Genji would either make him pay interest or just outright refuse. He didn't want to worry Shouko, and he couldn't bother his mother's family. Yes, none of his cousins went hungry and his _tias _and _tios_ were all employed, but there wasn't a lot of money for extras. (Ichigo had been very shocked when he realized that Sado thought _a cellphone _was a luxury item.)

"I can find a job and save up some money. If all three of us have jobs, we should be able to scrape up enough for an electric guitar."

"Thank you, but I'd rather buy it myself," Sado replied.

Katsuya sighed. "Dad said you'd be hard to persuade. Apparently he knew your dad in the bad old days."

"Any idea how?"

"They both had bad cases of chronic detention in high school."

Akihito, despite being popular among his classmates and getting good grades, was a teacher's worst nightmare in high school. He violated the dress code in every way possible, he mouthed off, and a couple of times he'd outsmarted his teachers. He'd been arrested three times before he graduated- for shoplifting, truancy, and resisting arrest. It would have been 'loitering,' but the cop had caught him on a bad day. The cops had only stopped at that because legally speaking, they couldn't prevent him from paying bail for his friends.

"Yeah, that sounds like my dad. Mama always said I got my temper from him."

"You're kidding, right?"

"You only think I'm sweet 'cause I have my music. I was a royal terror as a kid."

"Hey, that means you're gonna be great some day. All the best musicians have their problems. Ozzy Osborne, Sid Vicious, John Lennon… I heard there was one American singer who _shot_ his bassist."

"Why?"

"Who knows... hey, aren't you American?"

"No. My parents studied at a university in the U.S., but Mama wasn't born there."

Katsuya replied, contritely, "Sorry, I shouldn't be so nosy. See you soon."

After he hung up, Sado grabbed his guitar and began to practice. He hadn't been lying, but Katsuya didn't know how scary he could be. As long as he had his music, he was fine. All his rage, all his hatred, sadness, and confusion could be trapped in chords and played away.

**A few housekeeping notes: _chingatte _is the f-word in Spanish. Also, the rent price listed here is absurdly cheap for Japan. As for the musicians here, most of them had problems with drugs, though I think most of Freddie Mercury's problems were that society had a problem with people like him. **

**Onward! Please leave reviews- I like favorites, but I love reviews, even if they're scathing. I'll try to keep the time between updates shorter.**


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